Observations after Sixers blow 24-point lead but Edgecombe makes game-winning put-back originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Exactly one month after blowing a 24-point lead to the Bulls, the Sixers did the same Thursday night vs. the Warriors.
This time around, they still escaped with a win, earning a 99-98 victory at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
De’Anthony Melton blocked Tyrese Maxey’s jumper on the Sixers’ final possession, but VJ Edgecombe leaped for a game-winning put-back layup with 0.9 seconds to go.
The Warriors then chucked the ball ahead and Melton appeared like he’d have a clean chance, but Maxey hustled back and snuffed his lay-in attempt to seal the game.
Maxey led all scorers with 35 points.
The 12-9 Sixers were down Paul George (left knee injury recovery), Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain).
Oubre will be re-evaluated next week, according to a team official. The 29-year-old wing said pregame that he’s been making progress, doing whatever the Sixers’ medical staff instructs and taking a “day-by-day” approach.
Golden State was without Stephen Curry (left quadriceps contusion) and Jimmy Butler (left knee soreness). Draymond Green exited at halftime because of a right foot injury.
The Sixers will fly to Milwaukee and play the Bucks on Friday night. Here are observations on their win over the Warriors:
Lid on the Warriors’ rim
Joel Embiid faced up against Al Horford on the game’s first possession and knocked down a jumper. Horford followed with a three-pointer, which was the last long-range success the Warriors had for a long time.
For much of the first quarter, there was a lid on the Golden State rim.
The Warriors started 2 for 21 from the field and 1 for 13 from three-point range. They managed a mere 10 points in the first quarter. The Sixers played sound defense, but many of those misses came on open and wide-open shots.
Meanwhile, Maxey had a swell time on the other end against his friend Melton, who returned from a torn ACL to make his season debut. Maxey hit a baseline floater, and-one layup and mid-range jumper on his former backcourt mate. He also nailed a step-back three against another former Sixer, sinking a deep jumper over Buddy Hield to put the Sixers up 21-5.
Nothing free for Golden State in first half
The Warriors made a 10-0 run early in the second quarter with Maxey on the bench. Edgecombe snapped it with a tightly guarded, off-balance three late in the shot clock.
The Sixers’ lack of fouls helped them maintain a comfortable lead. Golden State took no free throws in the first half.
The team has made significant improvement in that area this season. Entering Thursday, the Sixers ranked 11th in the NBA in defensive free throw rate, per Cleaning the Glass. They were 20th last season. The Sixers haven’t forced turnovers as often, but the decrease in free points conceded has helped the team at least be a middle-of-the-pack defense so far.
Two Maxey mid-range buckets built the Sixers’ lead back to 20 points. Jared McCain’s corner three with 3.1 seconds to go in the second quarter got a generous bounce through the hole and gave the Sixers a 56-34 advantage.
Sixers collapse but still pull it out
After the Warriors scored the first six points of the third quarter, Maxey canned a trio of triples in quick succession.
That sure didn’t spell the end of the contest.
The Sixers had many sloppy possessions against the Warriors’ zone defense in the third quarter. Maxey committed three turnovers in the period and Edgecombe had two. Melton scored a driving layup on Golden State’s final play of the third to cut the Sixers’ lead to 80-66.
By the middle of the fourth quarter, the Sixers were in serious danger of losing their lead.
Edgecombe missed a three and Hield then leaked out for a fast-break layup on his Bahamian teammate. McCain turned the ball over twice in a row against Golden State’s ball pressure. In general, the Sixers’ offense looked rushed and uncertain. Jumpers by Quinten Post and Melton sliced the Warriors’ deficit to 84-81.
Adem Bona checked in for his first action of the night and converted a put-back layup on his first play. Embiid logged 25 minutes and didn’t appear in the fourth quarter.
The Warriors began to drain all the jump shots they’d bricked in the early going. Post drilled another three and Gui Santos cut free for a layup that lifted Golden State to a 93-92 edge.
Pat Spencer made it 98-94 with a long-range jumper. Quentin Grimes then scored an and-one layup and the Sixers finally managed an important stop. Melton drove into the lane, got stopped in his tracks by Bona, and traveled. On the ensuing possession, Bona drew a foul … and missed both his free throws.
Melton missed a layup in traffic, but the Warriors retained possession thanks to a successful challenge that showed the rebound last touched Edgecombe on its way out of bounds.
The final seconds were full of more chaos. Edgecombe wound up stealing a Spencer inbounds pass and calling timeout with 8.2 seconds on the clock. The rookie had one more clutch play in store.
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